dahowlett
Member Since: 27th Nov 2002
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I have 30+ years experience in the world of IT related finance. 10 of those years were spent as a partner in a Britsh firm of Chartered Accountants with a tax and IT remit. The remainder of my time was spent in a variety of industries including construction, steel fabrication, build to order manufacture and light engineering in progressively senior finance related roles. During that time, I was seconded to a team of Delloitte & Touche consultants working on costing systems for discrete manufacture. As partner, I had a small portfolio of high wealth clients, those with international interests or those with especially complex affairs. The experience supplemented what I had learned from working in industry and introduced me to the entertainment and hospitality, multi-store retail, professional services and healthcare industries. I specialised in providing business development, advisory, M&A and offshore tax services. I retired in 1993. In the same year, I went to university and wrote occasional reviews and opinions about accounting software. I completed my degree in 1996 and left the UK in 1997 to live in France. In September, 2004 along with partner Jude, cat and dog moved to Spain. We’re now esconced in Alcaudete, in the north of Andalucia. Today, I advise software developers about how they need to develop for customer needs and the requirement to understand the narrative in customer satisfaction. I help developers shape strategy and product, write the occasional piece for AccountingWEB and other blogs. I advise professional practitioners on their marketing strategies in a connected world. My main work comes through writing this blog, which concentrates on innovation for professional accountants with a strong leaning towards the technologies that drive client value. I am a strong believer in culture driven change management tied to business process. At ZDnet I comment on the enterprise issues that software companies don’t usually discuss. I am part of the editorial team for SAP CSR wiki, am an SAP Mentor and contribute blog posts to the SAP SDN and BPX communities. I was voted a Top Contributor in 2009 on the SAP Community Network. Since 2007 I have been an advisor to ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants England and Wales) on their community building strategy and am a lead contributor to ICAEW’s IT Counts technology community. During 2008, I led the marketing and promotional efforts of the ESME team – a microblogging for enterprise project presented to some 12,000 IT practitioners in Las Vegas, Berlin and Bangalore – which is now part of the Apache Foundation Incubator Group. I assist individuals in positioning these types of service within an enterprise business process context. In 2006 I was named as researcher in The Power to Predict, a book about business optimisation in the 21st century. The book was authored by Vivek Ranadive, CEO of TIBCO. I have a long history of working with TIBCO and it was an honor to be part of that team. I hold no shareholdings in any of the companies that I discuss, neither do I hold any postions of management. I do however provide occasional consulting services to some of the companies. I’m a walking, talking example of a remote worker living in (not on) the Internet, working occasional crazy hours, having a wonderful time and occasionally being paid for having fun. My degree is in psychology and sociology, having achieved a first awarded by Leeds University. I also studied philosophy as a minor subject and still believe in the Scientific Method, Popper, and Kuhn. I believe the degree taught me how to clearly organise thoughts, write to word length, conduct thorough, yet balanced analysis and appreciate there are many shades of grey in any discussion. I still need to make greater use of ’spellcheck’ though I’m a lot better since I invested in a new pair of corrective spectacles. :) I can be contacted at: email: dahowlett [AT]gmail[dot]com blog: http://www.accmanpro.com